Professor Spotlight: Dr. Alison Papadakis

            Dr. Alison Papadakis is bringing a fresh perspective to the Johns Hopkins University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. As an Associate Teaching Professor and the Director of Clinical Psychological Studies, Papadakis is not only teaching courses that students find particularly interesting, but she is also taking a role mentoring students within the area of study and guiding their future academic and professional endeavors. By holding advising seminars as well as “tapping in resources” for students looking for internship opportunities, Papadakis is giving psychology students guidance while teaching them what she loves.

            Papadakis is new to JHU, but not to teaching. She joined the faculty of JHU in 2014 after receiving tenure status at Loyola University. At Hopkins, Papadakis teaches a variety of courses, including, Childhood and Adolescent Psychopathology (Fall 2014) and Abnormal Psychology (Spring 2015). Additionally, she intends to teach summer courses like Research Seminar in Clinical Psychology: Stress, Coping, Emotion Regulation (Summer Session II) and Mid-Level Seminars like Social Development or Theories of Psychotherapies (2015-2016). On top of her demanding teaching schedule and mentoring responsibilities, Papadakis is conducing her own research projects. She describes her favorite study, thus far: “There is a project that finished up a couple years ago [and] we are analyzing the data from schools, looking at the effect of bullying, relational aggression (verbal and cyber bullying), how kids respond to these as stressors and how their coping strategies [can] lead to self injurious behavior and depression. We get parents saying that [their] kid had been bullied; data helps answer questions on how we can support [these students]. In some ways, depression is a reasonable consequence of bullying.”

            Papadakis focuses her teaching and research on children and adolescents, yet is knowledgeable in various different fields of psychology. “Broadly speaking, I’m interested in the intersection between psychosocial development [social development] in late childhood through emerging adulthood and psychopathology [abnormal functioning or mental illness]. More specifically, I’m interested in social development, peer relationships, and processes that happen in peer relationships, especially stressors. [I study] how kids cope with those stressors and how that sets them up to be more vulnerable to disorders.” Specifically, Papadakis has interest in studying eating disorders, depression, anxiety and self-harm in children and adolescents.

             She also aims to express the importance of applied clinical psychology, which can be viewed as a step away from traditional research studies that are so native to Hopkins. When asked “why is it important to teach applied, clinical research?” Papadakis claims how a broad and encompassing understanding of all aspects of psychology is fundamental for success in one’s area of work. “[It is] important for people to know the breadth of the disciple and for people who may want a career in applied psychology and clinical psychology. [Additionally it is an important area of study for] people who might want to go to medical school, and people who find it intrinsically interesting.”

            Papadakis is a professor who is very involved in her teaching and with her students; while she states that her “teaching style varies from one class to another,” she generally likes “doing a fair amount of interaction style, or scientist practitioner approach, [in the classroom].” Papadakis values student’s feedback and sees teaching in a dynamic way; she has no problem altering the course or shifting the material based on student’s feedback throughout the semester.

            Currently, Papadakis is focusing more on teaching, and mentoring students in their quest for a career in the field of psychology, specifically applied or clinical psychology. When she is not teaching, Papadakis is working on a project examining the effects yoga and mindfulness on high school students in two Baltimore city high schools.

            Interested in psychology, need a mentor or just want to take a class with an approachable and interesting professor? Consider taking a class or setting up a meeting with Dr. Papadakis.

Image courtesy of https://www.loyola.edu/academic/psychology/faculty-staff/faculty/papadakis